Results of studies show that preparation for college success needs to begin early
and must be sustained throughout the school years. One goal of the Summit is to address
the Latino achievement gap in northwest Ohio, and the reality of a growing Latino
population. The Summit serves to instill feelings of pride in the students' heritage,
along with the inspiration to strive for fulfillment of each student's potential towards
creating a more promising future.

The Summit seeks to arm youth and families with college planning and career path information
through sessions about pre-high school and pre-college coursework and information
about various occupational fields. Emphasis is placed on the importance of skills
in science, math and technology in today's job market.

Each Summit involves a keynote speaker chosen for their ties to the Latino community,
their success in overcoming adversity, their message of hope, and their ability to
engage a diverse body of students.

The 2014 Summit continued the success of prior events, with around 400 Latino junior
high and high school youths in attendance. Due to a rescheduling of mandatory state
testing, the summit was held on one day. Included were hands-on activities in nursing
and pharmacy, engineering, health professions, and real-world personal finances. The
students also learned about career opportunities here and abroad and were given a
mini-preview of the UT campus. In addition, the students were given the opportunity
to meet representatives from colleges that comprise the ECHHO (Educators in College
Helping Hispanics Onward). This college fair allowed students to obtain information
pertaining to college admission and scholarship opportunities. The Summit provided
ECHHO with an opportunity to interact with the largest gathering of Latino youth from
northwest Ohio.

Overnight Experience

As part of the Latino Youth Summit Experience, an overnight component has been established.
Up to sixty Latino students from the 8th through 12th grade spend a day and night
on The University of Toledo campus. They take part in a number of educational sessions,
classes and fun activities with the purpose of preparing them for a university career.

Programming has also been established for elementary school-aged migrant students
for early exposure to a college environment.

Latino Youth Summit Elementary

Research has shown that reaching even young children and making them aware of the
importance of and opportunities for education has beneficial results. To this end
a program targeting migrant grade school students has been developed. The short day
visits throughout the summer allow students to experience the university environment
and hopefully encourage them to think about their opportunities when the time comes
to further their education.

Senior students who register for and attend the Summit are highly encouraged to apply
for a college scholarship at The University of Toledo. Ten $2000 scholarships are
available, and each includes room and board for the first year. Six were awarded in
2013. A 3.00 GPA is required to qualify for these scholarships.